Ella Fitzgerald patrila medzi najslávnejšie jazzové speváčky 20. storočia. Preslávila sa dokonalou dikciou, frázovaním, veľkou vokálnou škálou a najmä majstrovstvom v technike scatu. Svoju profesionálnu kariéru začala v orchestri Chicka Webba, po jeho smrti viedla súbor sama a od roku 1942 pôsobila ako sólistka.
Kompilácia 5 Original Albums Vol.2 na 5 CD je kolekcia živých nahrávok zachytávajúcich vystúpenia z Chicago Opera House (1957), Teatro Sistina v Ríme (1958) a The Crescendo. Medzi najvýraznejšie momenty patrí The Birthday Concert z Ríma, kde Fitzgerald predviedla klasiky ako „St. Louis Blues“, „That Old Black Magic“ či „The Lady Is A Tramp“. Album prináša autentický zážitok z jej koncertov, na ktorých speváčka preukázala improvizačné majstrovstvo a charizmu pred publikom. Skladby ako „Moonlight In Vermont“, „I Loves You Porgy“ alebo „Stompin' At The Savoy“ dokumentujú energiu i jemnosť jej interpretácie naprieč jazzovými štandardmi.
Skladby
CD1
1 It's All Right With Me (Live At The Chicago Opera House,1957)
2 Don Cha Go Way Mad (Live At The Chicago Opera House,1957)
3 Bewitched, Bothered And Bewildered (Live At The Chicago Opera House,1957)
4 These Foolish Things (Live At The Chicago Opera House,1957)
5 Ill Wind (Live At The Chicago Opera House,1957)
6 Goody, Goody (Live At The Chicago Opera House,1957)
7 Moonlight In Vermont (Live At The Chicago Opera House,1957)
8 Them There Eyes (Live At The Chicago Opera House,1957)
9 Stompin' At The Savoy (Live At The Chicago Opera House,1957)
CD2
1 Introduction (Ella Fitzgerald/ Ella In Rome-The Birthday Concert) (Live At Teatro Sistina, Rome, Italy / 1958)
2 St. Louis Blues (Live At Teatro Sistina, Rome, Italy / 1958)
3 These Foolish Things (Live At Teatro Sistina, Rome, Italy / 1958)
4 Just Squeeze Me (Live At Teatro Sistina, Rome, Italy / 1958)
5 Angel Eyes (Live At Teatro Sistina, Rome, Italy / 1958)
6 That Old Black Magic (Live At Teatro Sistina, Rome, Italy / 1958)
7 Just One Of Those Things (Live At Teatro Sistina, Rome, Italy / 1958)
8 I Loves You Porgy (Live At Teatro Sistina, Rome, Italy / 1958)
9 It's All Right With Me (Live At Teatro Sistina, Rome, Italy / 1958)
10 I Can't Give You Anything But Love (Live At Teatro Sistina, Rome, Italy / 1958)
11 Introduction (Ella Fitzgerald/ Ella In Rome-The Birthday Concert) (Live At Teatro Sistina, Rome, Italy / 1958)
12 When You're Smiling (The Whole World Smiles With You) (Live At Teatro Sistina, Rome, Italy / 1958)
13 A Foggy Day (Live At Teatro Sistina, Rome, Italy / 1958)
14 Midnight Sun (Live At Teatro Sistina, Rome, Italy / 1958)
15 The Lady Is A Tramp (Live At Teatro Sistina, Rome, Italy / 1967)
16 Sophisticated Lady (Live At Teatro Sistina, Rome, Italy / 1958)
17 Caravan (Live At Teatro Sistina, Rome, Italy / 1958)
18 Stompin' At The Savoy (Live At The Shrine Auditorium,1957)
CD3
1 This Could Be The Start Of Something Big (Live At The Crescendo/1961)
2 I've Got The World On A String (Live At The Crescendo)
3 You're Driving Me Crazy (Live At The Crescendo/1961)
4 Just In Time (Live At The Crescendo)
5 It Might As Well Be Spring (Live At The Crescendo)
6 Take The „A” Train (Live At The Crescendo)
7 Stairway To The Stars (Live At The Crescendo/1961)
8 (You'll Have To Swing It) Mr. Paganini (Live At The Crescendo/1961)
9 Satin Doll (Live At The Crescendo)
10 Blue Moon (Live At The Crescendo)
11 Baby, Won't You Please Come Home (Live At The Crescendo)
12 Airmail Special (Live At The Crescendo)
CD4
1 Day In, Day Out (Live At Cote d'Azur, France / 1964)
2 Just A-Sittin' and A-Rockin' (Live (7/28/64-Cote D'Azur))
3 The Lady Is A Tramp (Live (7/28/64-Cote D'Azur))
4 Summertime (Live At Juan-les-Pins, France / 7/28/64)
5 St. Louis Blues (Live (7/28/64-Juan-les-Pins))
6 Honeysuckle Rose (Live 7/28/64 with spoken ending)
7 They Can't Take That Away From Me (Live 7/29/64)
8 You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To (Live 7/29/64)
9 Somewhere In The Night (Live 7/29/64)
10 I've Got You Under My Skin (Live At Cote D'Azur / 1964)
11 The Cricket Song (Live 7/29/64)
12 How High The Moon (Live (7/29/64-Juan-les-Pins))
CD5
1 Walk Right In
2 That Old Black Magic (Live In Hamburg, Germany / 1965)
3 Body And Soul
4 Here's That Rainy Day (Live From Hamburg/1965)
5 And The Angels Sing
6 A Hard Day's Night
7 Ellington Medley: Do Nothing' Till You Hear From Me/Mood Indigo/It Don't Mean A Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing)
8 The Boy From Ipanema
9 Don't Rain On My Parade (Live From Hamburg/1965)
10 Angel Eyes (Live In Hamburg, Germany / 1965)
11 Smooth Sailing
12 Old McDonald Had A Farm
